Oh, yeah, and Frank Turner too

Although the headline says “with Vincent”, sadly this post is post-Vince. No, wait, that’s not right; he’s still alive and posting on Facebook from the other side of the Pond now. I mean this is a post-Vincent’s-visit-post. Does that clear things up?

I just spent most of the week with one of the loveliest and best human beings to walk the planet. He would scoff at that description, but I insist I am right in my opinion. We “met” online back in the late 90’s when we and a small cast of other fantastic friends ran a little MSN group, later turned website/forum, and now Facebook group called Gay Fatherhood. Since that all started a few of us have kept in contact, and gotten together on a regular, or sometimes irregular basis.

Even now, after our kids are mostly grown, our friendship has been a precious and nourishing bond. So yesterday I took him back to start his return journey home to Northern Ireland, and this morning I found myself sipping English Breakfast Tea and listening to music. I like coffee. I don’t normally drink tea. But I was an English major, so everything becomes symbolic, according to Dorothy on the Golden Girls.

It was so lovely to spend so much one-on-one time with my Irish brother this week, so good for my soul. We hiked, we talked, we wined and dined, and covered soooo much ground, talked lots of poetry and probably too much politics. But this post is just for all the music I didn’t get the chance to share with you.

Turns to Vincent over tea this morning and says . . .

The night before you left, brother, I was playing a couple of songs in the car for you by Frank Turner. And this first one is one you said you rather liked.  The next is the “Mittens” song I told you about. After we came back from dinner with Brian we never got the chance to return to the music, so I thought I’d share a couple more. These are all from Positive Songs for Negative People, an album that genuinely helped me through some recently difficult times.

I’ve tried to include only songs that I thought might speak to your heart, like “The Opening Act of Spring,” and “Glorious You.” Oh! And I couldn’t resist the heading “Live in the Library,” a short interview that starts with the song I sang with a lousy accent and ends with an adorable song about an Armadillo.

He’s handsome and his lyrics are so dang poetic, insightful and often nourishing. If only Frank were gay and looking for “friends,” right?

Next to get the car repaired (again!), and get down to see my brother Keith in Baltimore!